Using a wide range of acquired skills, SARDAA's dog/handler teams provide professional, effective support to the local rescue agencies. Following is a list of training received by our members:
Basic Rescue Skills
SARDAA's s search dogs are specially trained to locate human scent in a wide variety of circumstances. Human scent particles can be carried by the wind for great distances or can cling to footsteps or articles a person touches. SARDAA's dogs are trained in the following areas:
Basic and Advanced obedience
Some of our teams have extra training and are also qualified in the following areas:
Tracking
Water search
Cadaver search, and...
Disaster search
SARDAA maintains a schedule of weekly training throughout the year. Dogs and handlers progress through training one level at a time, advancing only when prepared for the next level. And, there are several search profiles the dogs can qualify for which build on their basic search capabilities.
Basic skills include obedience and agility training, proficiency in locating a hidden person and in locating small articles; expanded profiles include - water search, cadaver search and disaster search. Tracking training is encouraged and teams can also qualify in tracking.
Each SARDAA team listed as 'mission ready' has been qualified under specific criteria, evaluated by our qualification team.
SAR Fundamentals
Civil Emergency Response
Evidence Preservation & Courtroom Procedures
Land Navigation
Map and Compass / GPS
Radio Communications
Wilderness Survival
First Aid / CPR
Canine First Aid
Critical Incident Stress Management
Lost Person Behaviour
Scent Theory
Search Theory
Disaster Search Safety & Awareness
Agility
Person search
Article search
Qualifications
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